When you were first exposed to neuro-linguistic programming, what were your impressions? What made you want to dig deeper into NLP?

Many people are exposed to NLP as a collection of techniques for manipulating people, sales, or even seducing potential lovers. But NLP got its start as a therapeutic system for resolving personal challenges such as phobias. This is where it has had its greatest influence and is what its core literature primarily covers. Were you exposed to NLP as a therapeutic system or a set of mind tricks for manipulation?

The schism between NLP as a compassionate method of change and NLP as a form of crass manipulation exists because of the nature of NLP as a field. Since it is about producing models based on successful behavior, it can take many forms when you just look at the techniques. Since much of it is concerned with establishing rapport and utilizing techniques of persuasion, it can be used for selfish manipulation. It’s kind of like the weather: air and water can take many forms. You’d want to be highly skilled in NLP so that others can’t use it to manipulate you, wouldn’t you?

NLP is quite popular. What about the people you know and care about? How would you teach them these skills so that they would be protected?

In whatever form you find NLP, one thing that you should see is practicality. NLP is concerned with getting good outcomes in whatever endeavor it is applied to. This is why we refer to it as a methodology, rather than a science. Although NLP involves observation, experimentation, and feedback, which constitutes a scientific mindset, it does not emphasize developing and testing theories that get at the basis of the realities it explores. Its theories are very focused on getting results.

Like most endeavors, NLP can and does benefit from “consuming” science–that is, using the information that scientists produce. There has been great progress in psychology since the early days of NLP, and those NLP practitioners who keep abreast of the research will be able to focus their efforts more efficiently. That’s because many psychological myths tend to crop up until science takes a good look at them. How do you plan to focus your efforts more efficiently and keep up with new developments? Will you wait for some other NLP trainer to share their research and insights, or will you take the lead and work on improving our field?

Another factor that has caused NLP to take many forms is the profit motive. There have been many wild claims made about NLP in order to boost sales of media and seminars. Unfortunately, this can cast suspicion upon legitimate claims. It can be difficult for people to tell the difference between exaggerations and the truth, because NLP can have amazing results in a variety of areas, ranging from personal problems to business success. What are some exaggerations that you’ve heard or read in the NLP world so far?

The current recognition that therapeutic approaches such as EMDR can have rapid results has made the claims of NLP appear less extreme, especially where problems with anxiety are concerned. But keep in mind that NLP can’t be validated as a whole through research, because it is many things. What can be researched are the specific interventions (patterns) of NLP. This is routinely done in the Erickson Institute by testing and re-testing the effectiveness of NLP processes in practice. All of us are therapists by trade, and this course is our joined effort to bring you only what’s effective and applicable. Would you rather study concepts and patterns that were designed 40 years ago and have proven to be ineffective? Or would you like to employ your brain in the study of what really works?